Seleucid coinage

Last updated

Antiochus IV AntiochusIVEpiphanes.jpg
Antiochus IV
Alexander Balas AlexanderI.jpg
Alexander Balas

The coinage of the Seleucid Empire is based on the coins of Alexander the Great, which in turn were based on Athenian coinage of the Attic weight. Many mints and different issues are defined, with mainly base and silver coinage being in abundance. A large concentration of mints existed in the Seleucid Syria, as the Mediterranean parts of the empire were more reliant on coinage in economic function.

Contents

The symbol of Seleucid power was the anchor, which was placed on the obverse of coins depicting Alexander posthumously. Some Seleucid bronze coinage feature decorative serrated edges similarly with certain Roman denarii and rare Macedonian coins.

The first Seleucid royal mint was at Seleucia on the Tigris. Antioch, as a new capital, did have the most important mint after Seleucus I moved mint workers there from Seleucia.

Denominations

Bronze coinage was issued in five denominations; the weight and size varies greatly and most likely no effort was made to conform to a set standard, they may be denominated in chalkoi. [1]

The denomination values and common imagery on silver coinage was as follows, with the denomination based on the Obol and image most common on the coin: [2]

History

Seleucus I portrait on Antiochus I tetradrachm Seleucus I portrait.jpg
Seleucus I portrait on Antiochus I tetradrachm

Successor states of the Macedonian Empire continued to mint coins with image of Alexander the Great. Such coins were widespread within the Seleucid Empire, as all mints except the one in Bactra struck them. [5] Antiochus I, son of Seleucus I, was the first Seleucid ruler to strike coins with his own image on them. [5]

Typically, coins which were not based on Attic weight, did not circulate within the empire. Attalid, Ptolemaic and Rhodian coins were using a different standard. Regulations may have existed to enforce usage of the Attic standard. However, the regulations were probably made for practical reasons rather than being politically motivated. Coele-Syria and Phoenicia were exceptions to the rule of using the Attic standard. They were conquered by Antiochus III the Great in 200 BC. Seleucids struck some coins in the Ptolemaic standard to be used in the region, and both standards coexisted there. [5] [6]

Seleucid regulations on coinage different from Achaemenid Persia on several aspects. Achaemenid rulers did not try to unify standards for the coinage, and they allowed local satraps to strike coins in their own name. While the Seleucids preserved the system of satraps, they banned local rulers from striking coins in their own name. Some cities had their own mints for bronze coinage, while gold coins and large silver denominations were made only at the royal mints. However, the empire controlled on some extent even the striking of local bronze coinage. [5]

After Antiochus III was defeated in a war against Rome and a large war indemnity had to be paid, silver coinage became scarcer and lighter. There were few new silver coins struck for two decades after the defeat. Bronze mostly replaced silver in mints between 173 BC and 171 BC. [7]

When the Seleucid Empire began to decline, and its rule on parts of the empire weakened since the last decades of the second century BC, local cities began producing their own silver coinages to show their autonomy from the central bureaucracy. [5]

Despite seemingly enforcing some regulations, Seleucid policy was still somewhat free compared to the Ptolemaic Kingdom which imposed an exclusive royal currency. [5] In coin making process there were similarities with the Ptolemaic coinage. For instance, the Seleucid coins often have a central depression from the coin making process. [8] [9]

Mints

Seleucid core territory around Syria had a large concentration of mints. Eastern provinces had a single mint each. [10] Mediterranean regions of the Seleucid kingdom were more monetized, and were economically more reliant on coinage. Use of coinage in Mesopotamia, including areas such as Babylonia and Susiana, was most likely mainly an urban phenomenon, while in rural areas Greek coinage was not necessary for daily life. In Mesopotamia taxation and official payments were most likely the parts of economy where coinage saw usage. Despite Mesopotamia seeing increasing use of coinage during the Hellenistic period, the impact may have been a modest one. Traditional methods of payment did not disappear. [11]

Seleucia on the Tigris held the first Seleucid mint as a capital. Later, when Seleucus I Nicator prioritized construction of an important port city of Antioch over Seleucia, workers from the Seleucia mint were moved to new capital at Antioch. The mint at Antioch produced gold coins, as well as royal bronze coins minted in name of the king. The old mint at Seleucia functioned as a municipal mint at this point, and they did mint the coins in their own name. Furthermore, the mint at Antioch produced more bronze coins than Seleucia. Seleucid dynasty seems to have attempted to create a uniform coinage throughout the empire, as coins with similar symbols and images have been discovered from coinage minted all around the empire. These common symbols include an anchor and a charging bull. [12]

Early coinage of the Seleucid Empire was struck in name of Alexander the Great, or the coins at least included his image. Bactra mint was an exception to this almost universal rule as it did not strike coins with the image of Alexander the Great. [5]

Mint in Ptolemais in Phoenicia was among the most active ones. While other mints generally used Attic weight, the one in Ptolemais struck coins in a different weight, even after it was conquered by Antiochus III the Great. [5] [6] It is likely that the city struck silver coinage without an interruption after it changed hands, as it was a very important city in Phoenicia. [6]

Western mints

Eastern mints

Design and symbols

Bronze coin of Antiochus IV Apipanes atzmon.JPG
Bronze coin of Antiochus IV

Anchor was the symbol of Seleucid dynasty starting from the reign of Seleucus I Nicator in 305 BC, and it was used by his successors. [14] [15] The anchor first appeared in reverses of coins with Alexander the Great's image in them. [15] Such coins with Alexander in them were very common in the Diadochi states. [5] Origins of the anchor as a symbol is obscure, but there are several theories about the origin. For instance, it may commemorate Seleucus' career under Ptolemaic rule between 315 BC and 312 BC. Another theory is that the anchor was a form of propaganda aimed at merchants to lure them back into Northern Syrian cities and their new harbors built by Seleucus. [15]

After Seleucus I's death, his successors began to strike coins with their own image. [5] Coins of the Seleucid Empire had imagery including a reigning king with a lion head dress, or Zeus on a throne with a sceptre and eagle in each hand. Certain coins portrayed a god or goddess, or in some cases they had a medusa, a charging bull or an anchor. [16] [12]

Coinage struck by Antiochus IV Epiphanes can be considered to be iconographically innovative when compared to other Seleucid rulers. He is associated with various celestial attributes and symbols such as stars and rays about his head. Both Antiochus IV and Seleucus IV Philopator struck coins with the solar deity Helios. Another deity closely associated with reign of these two rulers and brothers is Apollo. [17]

Serrated coins

Bronze coins with the typical bottle cap shape Seleucid serrate bronze coinage.png
Bronze coins with the typical bottle cap shape

Certain Seleucid bronze coinage have serrated edges, [8] otherwise rare in ancient coins. [9] They are sometimes called bottle cap coins. [18] [ better source needed ] Seleucid mints struck this type of bronze coinage within an approximate period of 187 BC–141 BC. This period was between reigns of Seleucus IV and Antiochus VI. [8] [9]

As a comparison, there are known instances of coins with serrated edges from the Kingdom of Macedon during the reign of Philip V. Like in the Seleucid mints, the Macedonians did also somewhat quickly discard the process. [8]

One theory is that the serrated edge made it easier to prove that the coin was solid metal. However, only the Seleucid bronze coinage, rather than coins of gold and silver, feature this sort of an edge. [19] [ better source needed ] Certain Roman serrated denarii were especially designed to be harder to counterfeit or debase. However, the Roman efforts probably failed since there are silver plated copper denarii in existence. Seleucids are believed to not have serrated their coins as an anti-counterfeiting measure. [20] Syrian mints serrated their coins simply as a decorative method, and it is also possible that the Romans also sought only the aesthetic value. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Balas</span> Seleucid king from 150 to 142 BC

Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas, was the ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 150 BC to August 145 BC. Picked from obscurity and supported by the neighboring Roman-allied Kingdom of Pergamon, Alexander landed in Phoenicia in 152 BC and started a civil war against Seleucid King Demetrius I Soter. Backed by mercenaries and factions of the Seleucid Empire unhappy with the existing government, he defeated Demetrius and took the crown in 150 BC. He married the princess Cleopatra Thea to seal an alliance with the neighboring Ptolemaic kingdom. His reign saw the steady retreat of the Seleucid Empire's eastern border, with important eastern satrapies such as Media being lost to the nascent Parthian Empire. In 147 BC, Demetrius II Nicator, the young son of Demetrius I, began a campaign to overthrow Balas, and civil war resumed. Alexander's ally, Ptolemaic king Ptolemy VI Philometor, moved troops into Coele-Syria to support Alexander, but then switched sides and threw his support behind Demetrius II. At the Battle of the Oenoparus River in Syria, he was defeated by Ptolemy VI and he died shortly afterward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seleucid Empire</span> Hellenistic-era Greek state in Western Asia (312–63 BC)

The Seleucid Empire (;) was a Greek power in West Asia during the Hellenistic period. It was founded in 312 BC by the Macedonian general Seleucus I Nicator, following the division of the Macedonian Empire founded by Alexander the Great, and ruled by the Seleucid dynasty until its annexation by the Roman Republic under Pompey in 63 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demetrius III Eucaerus</span> King of Syria from 96 to 87 BC

Demetrius III Theos Philopator Soter Philometor Euergetes Callinicus was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who reigned as the King of Syria between 96 and 87 BC. He was a son of Antiochus VIII and, most likely, his Egyptian wife Tryphaena. Demetrius III's early life was spent in a period of civil war between his father and his uncle Antiochus IX, which ended with the assassination of Antiochus VIII in 96 BC. After the death of their father, Demetrius III took control of Damascus while his brother Seleucus VI prepared for war against Antiochus IX, who occupied the Syrian capital Antioch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochus II Theos</span> King of the Seleucid Empire, 261–246 BC

Antiochus II Theos was a Greek king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire who reigned from 261 to 246 BC. He succeeded his father Antiochus I Soter in the winter of 262–61 BC. He was the younger son of Antiochus I and princess Stratonice, the daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seleucus II Callinicus</span> Ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 246 BC to 225 BC

Seleucus II Callinicus Pogon, was a ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, who reigned from 246 BC to 225 BC. Faced with multiple enemies on various fronts, and not always successful militarily, his reign was a time of great turmoil and fragmentation for the Seleucid Empire, before its eventual restoration under his second son and eventual successor, Antiochus III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diodotus Tryphon</span> Seleucid king

Diodotus Tryphon, nicknamed "The Magnificent" was a Greek king of the Seleucid Empire. Initially an official under King Alexander I Balas, he led a revolt against Alexander's successor Demetrius II Nicator in 144 BC. He rapidly gained control of most of Syria and the Levant. At first, he acted as regent and tutor for Alexander's infant son Antiochus VI Dionysus, but after the death of his charge in 142/141 BC, Diodotus declared himself king. He took the royal name Tryphon Autocrator and distanced himself from the Seleucid dynasty. For a period between 139 and 138, he was the sole ruler of the Seleucid empire. However, in 138 BC Demetrius II's brother Antiochus VII Sidetes invaded Syria and brought his rule to an end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diodotus I</span> First Greek king of Bactria

Diodotus I Soter was the first Hellenistic king of Bactria. Diodotus was initially satrap of Bactria, but became independent of the Seleucid empire around 255 BC, establishing the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. In about 250 BC, Diodotus repelled a Parthian invasion of Bactria by Arsaces. He minted an extensive coinage and administered a powerful and prosperous new kingdom. He died around 235 BC and was succeeded by his son Diodotus II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander II Zabinas</span> King of Syria

Alexander II Theos Epiphanes Nikephoros was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who reigned as the King of Syria between 128 BC and 123 BC. His true parentage is debated; depending on which ancient historian, he either claimed to be a son of Alexander I or an adopted son of Antiochus VII. Most ancient historians and the modern academic consensus maintain that Alexander II's claim to be a Seleucid was false. His surname "Zabinas" (Ζαβίνας) is a Semitic name that is usually translated as "the bought one". It is possible, however, that Alexander II was a natural son of Alexander I, as the surname can also mean "bought from the god". The iconography of Alexander II's coinage indicates he based his claims to the throne on his descent from Antiochus IV, the father of Alexander I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochus XII Dionysus</span> King of Syria from 87 to 82 BC

Antiochus XII Dionysus Epiphanes Philopator Callinicus was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who reigned as King of Syria between 87 and 82 BC. The youngest son of Antiochus VIII and, most likely, his Egyptian wife Tryphaena, Antiochus XII lived during a period of civil war between his father and his uncle Antiochus IX, which ended with the assassination of Antiochus VIII in 96 BC. Antiochus XII's four brothers laid claim to the throne, eliminated Antiochus IX as a claimant, and waged war against his heir Antiochus X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochus X Eusebes</span> King of Syria

Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator was a Seleucid monarch who reigned as King of Syria during the Hellenistic period between 95 BC and 92 BC or 89/88 BC. He was the son of Antiochus IX and perhaps his Egyptian wife Cleopatra IV. Eusebes lived during a period of general disintegration in Seleucid Syria, characterized by civil wars, foreign interference by Ptolemaic Egypt and incursions by the Parthians. Antiochus IX was killed in 95 BC at the hands of Seleucus VI, the son of his half-brother and rival Antiochus VIII. Antiochus X then went to the city of Aradus where he declared himself king. He avenged his father by defeating Seleucus VI, who was eventually killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip I Philadelphus</span> King of Syria

Philip I Epiphanes Philadelphus was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who reigned as the king of Syria from 94 to either 83 or 75 BC. The son of Antiochus VIII and his wife Tryphaena, he spent his early life in a period of civil war between his father and his uncle Antiochus IX. The conflict ended with the assassination of Antiochus VIII; Antiochus IX took power in the Syrian capital Antioch, but soon fell in battle with Antiochus VIII's eldest son Seleucus VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochus XI Epiphanes</span> King of Syria from 94–93 BC

Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus was a Seleucid monarch who reigned as King of Syria between 94 and 93 BC, during the Hellenistic period. He was the son of Antiochus VIII and his wife Tryphaena. Antiochus XI's early life was a time of constant civil war between his father and his uncle Antiochus IX. The conflict ended with the assassination of Antiochus VIII, followed by the establishment of Antiochus IX in Antioch, the capital of Syria. Antiochus VIII's eldest son Seleucus VI, in control of western Cilicia, marched against his uncle and had him killed, taking Antioch for himself, only to be expelled from it and driven to his death in 94 BC by Antiochus IX's son Antiochus X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seleucus VI Epiphanes</span> King of Syria from 96 to 94 BC

Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator was a Hellenistic Seleucid monarch who ruled Syria between 96 and 94 BC. He was the son of Antiochus VIII and his Ptolemaic Egyptian wife Tryphaena. Seleucus VI lived during a period of civil war between his father and his uncle Antiochus IX, which ended in 96 BC when Antiochus VIII was assassinated. Antiochus IX then occupied the capital Antioch while Seleucus VI established his power-base in western Cilicia and himself prepared for war. In 95 BC, Antiochus IX marched against his nephew, but lost the battle and was killed. Seleucus VI became the master of the capital but had to share Syria with his brother Demetrius III, based in Damascus, and his cousin, Antiochus IX's son Antiochus X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiochus VIII Grypus</span> Antiochus VIII Callinicus/Philometor

Antiochus VIII Epiphanes/Callinicus/Philometor, nicknamed Grypus, was the ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 125 to 96 BC. He was the younger son of Demetrius II and Cleopatra Thea. He may have spent his early life in Athens and returned to Syria after the deaths of his father and brother Seleucus V. At first he was joint ruler with his mother. Fearing her influence, Antiochus VIII had Cleopatra Thea poisoned in 121 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diodotus II</span> Basileus

Diodotus II Theos was the son and successor of Diodotus I Soter, who rebelled against the Seleucid empire, establishing the Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom. Diodotus II probably ruled alongside his father as co-regent, before succeeding him as sole king around 235 BC. He prevented Seleucid efforts to reincorporate Bactria back into the empire, by allying with the Parthians against them. He was murdered around 225 BC by Euthydemus I, who succeeded him as king.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seleucia</span> Seleucid Empire capital in modern Iraq

Seleucia, also known as Seleucia-on-Tigris or Seleucia on the Tigris or Seleucia ad Tigrim, was a major Mesopotamian city, located on the west bank of the Tigris River within the present-day Baghdad Governorate in Iraq. It was founded around 305 BC by Seleucus I Nicator as the first capital of the Seleucid Empire, and remained an important center of trade and Hellenistic culture after the imperial capital relocated to Antioch. The city continued to flourish under Parthian rule beginning in 141 BC; ancient texts claim that it reached a population of 600,000. Seleucia was destroyed in 165 AD by Roman general Avidius Cassius and gradually faded into obscurity in the subsequent centuries. The site was rediscovered in the 1920s by archaeologists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleopatra Selene of Syria</span> Monarch of Syria

Cleopatra Selene was the Queen consort of Egypt from 115 to 102 BC, the Queen consort of Syria from 102 to 92 BC, and the monarch of Syria from 82 to 69 BC. The daughter of Ptolemy VIII Physcon and Cleopatra III of Egypt, Cleopatra Selene was favoured by her mother and became a pawn in Cleopatra III's political manoeuvres. In 115 BC, Cleopatra III forced her son Ptolemy IX to divorce his sister-wife Cleopatra IV, and chose Cleopatra Selene as the new queen consort of Egypt. Tension between the king and his mother grew and ended with his expulsion from Egypt, leaving Cleopatra Selene behind; she probably then married the new king, her other brother Ptolemy X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syrian Wars</span> Series of land wars between the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt (3rd-2nd centuries BC)

The Syrian Wars were a series of six wars between the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, successor states to Alexander the Great's empire, during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC over the region then called Coele-Syria, one of the few avenues into Egypt. These conflicts drained the material and manpower of both parties and led to their eventual destruction and conquest by Rome and Parthia. They are briefly mentioned in the biblical Books of the Maccabees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seleucid Dynastic Wars</span> Wars of succession

The Seleucid Dynastic Wars were a series of wars of succession that were fought between competing branches of the Seleucid royal household for control of the Seleucid Empire. Beginning as a by-product of several succession crises that arose from the reigns of Seleucus IV Philopator and his brother Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the 170s and 160s, the wars typified the final years of the empire and were an important cause of its decline as a major power in the Near East and Hellenistic world. The last war ended with the collapse of the kingdom and its annexation by the Roman Republic in 63 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ptolemaic coinage</span>

Coinage of the Ptolemaic kingdom was struck in Phoenician weight, also known as Ptolemaic weight which was the weight of a Ptolemaic tetradrachm. This standard, which was not used elsewhere in the Hellenistic world, was smaller than the dominant Attic weight which was the weight of standard Hellenistic tetradrachm. Consequentially, Ptolemaic coins are smaller than other Hellenistic coinage. In terms of art, the coins, which were made of silver, followed the example set by contemporary Greek currencies, with dynastic figures being typically portrayed. The Ptolemaic coin making process often resulted in a central depression, similar to what can be found on Seleucid coinage.

References

  1. "A history of the Seleukid Empire and its kings". Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2006.
  2. [Babelon, Rois, Pl. II. 9.]
  3. (N. C., 1879, Pl. I. 4)
  4. "Seleukos I. 312-280 B.C. AR tetradrachm. Seleucia on the Tigris, 296/5 B.C. * Sear GCV sg6856 * WildWinds.com". www.wildwinds.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2006.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Christopher Howgego (11 September 2002). Ancient History from Coins. Routledge. pp. 38–39. ISBN   978-1-134-87783-6.
  6. 1 2 3 Newell, Edward T. "The first Seleucid coinage of Tyre". Digital Library Numis (DLN). pp. 1–2. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  7. Michael Hewson Crawford (1985). Coinage and Money Under the Roman Republic: Italy and the Mediterranean Economy. University of California Press. p. 155. ISBN   978-0-520-05506-3.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Otto Mørkholm (31 May 1991). Early Hellenistic Coinage from the Accession of Alexander to the Peace of Apamaea (336-188 BC). Cambridge University Press. p. 13. ISBN   978-0-521-39504-5.
  9. 1 2 3 4 George MacDonald (22 March 2012). The Evolution of Coinage. Cambridge University Press. pp. 68–69. ISBN   978-1-107-60599-2.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Waldemar Heckel; Richard Sullivan (30 October 2010). Ancient Coins of the Graeco-Roman World: The Nickle Numismatic Papers. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press. p. 94. ISBN   978-1-55458-699-8.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R.J. Van der Spek; Jan Luiten van Zanden; Bas van Leeuwen (4 September 2014). A History of Market Performance: From Ancient Babylonia to the Modern World. Taylor & Francis. pp. 501–. ISBN   978-1-317-91849-3.
  12. 1 2 Getzel M. Cohen (1995). The Hellenistic Settlements in Europe, the Islands, and Asia Minor. University of California Press. p. 129. ISBN   978-0-520-08329-5.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Daniel Ogden (30 April 2017). The Legend of Seleucus: Kingship, Narrative and Mythmaking in the Ancient World. Cambridge University Press. p. 120. ISBN   978-1-316-73844-3.
  14. Michael Pfrommer (20 May 1993). Metalwork from the Hellenized East: Catalogue of the Collections. Getty Publications. p. 25. ISBN   978-0-89236-218-9.
  15. 1 2 3 Antela-Bernardez, Borja. "The anchor and the crown: Seleucos' use of the" anchor" coin type in 305 BC". Athenaeum: Studi di letteratura e Storia. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  16. "Ancient Coinage of Seleucia, Antiochos I". www.wildwinds.com. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  17. Lorber, Catharine; Iossif, Panagiotis (17 December 2017). "The cult of Helios in the Seleucid East". Topoi. 16 (1): 19–42. doi:10.3406/topoi.2009.2289. hdl: 2066/205311 . Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  18. Jceaus (8 May 2007). "Ancient Coin Cleaning And Restoration: What In The World Are Seleucids Or "Bottle Caps?"" . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  19. Wolter, Tim (7 February 2014). "Detritus of Empire: A Mystery Coin - Who Are You?" . Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  20. Seth William Stevenson; Frederic William Madden (1889). A Dictionary of Roman Coins, Republican and Imperial. G. Bell and Sons.

Further reading